KUCHING (June 15): This year’s Gawai Dayak ‘Niti Daun’ parade reflects the solid support of Sarawakians for the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government under the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He said this after witnessing thousands of participants joining the parade and marching in the middle of a hot afternoon followed by sudden heavy downpour today.

“Today we witnessed the ‘Niti Daun’, one of the Gawai Dayak celebration programmes in the state, and today we witnessed 111 teams.

“And what is wonderful is that these teams are representing all races and all religions in Sarawak. Another beautiful scene is where people of all races in Sarawak celebrate Hari Gawai – part of our way of continuing to take care of our unity in Sarawak.

“Despite the heat and rain, we are all in high spirits. This embodies the resilience and unity of Sarawakians as we progress towards 2030, strengthening our racial and religious harmony, and supporting the GPS government’s efforts to develop Sarawak,” he said when met after the Natai Daun parade at the Kuching Waterfront.

Adding on, Uggah said the event not only celebrated cultural heritage but also reinforced the commitment of the Sarawakians to continue to be united.

He said it was remarkable to see the event, encompassing diverse races and religions from across Sarawak participating in this celebration of cultural unity.

He said one of the highlights was the presence of three teams from Unifor, inclusive of non-Islamic religious groups which symbolised the spirit of inclusivity and harmony.

“Basically just now you can see Unifor they have three teams and they are bringing all the non-Muslims religious groups to join the parade. So this is indeed a very blessed event and we would like to thank Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for witnessing the event.

“Despite inclement weather towards the event’s conclusion, participants remained undeterred, displaying unwavering enthusiasm throughout.

“And I also would like to thank (Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development) Dato Sri Roland Sagah for organising a very successful event this afternoon,” he added.

A total of 111 contingents involving more than 3,000 participants from various Dayak non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government departments, Dayak cultural organisations as well as community leaders statewide joined in the parade.

The annual ‘Niti Daun’ parade was first held in 1993 until 2018 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. It made a comeback in 2023.